Vesper
by You Are So Wonk
Summary: Her palms glowed momentarily, it almost felt as if she was floating. Dark eyes stared down at her in shock as she raised an eyebrow at them. The corners of her lips twitched upwards. "Surprise?" Metahuman!Oc-insert. Warnings: Rough language, possible mature themes.(On Hiatus)
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice.

* * *

Summary: Her palms glowed momentarily, it almost felt as if she was _floating_. Dark eyes stared down at her in shock as she raised an eyebrow at them. The corners of her lips twitched upwards. "Surprise?" Metahuman!Oc-insert. Warnings: Rough language, possible mature themes.

* * *

She gapes at the staticky television that inhabits her living room. Her chubby, guileless hands _clutching_ her remote.

Her mother, Adelaide, looks down at her in confusion, before letting out a loud _booming_ laugh.

"My darling girl," she coos "Does this interest you?"

She can only nod in agreement as she stares at the… the pure _madness_ that is on her television screen.

"Mama?" she asks softly "How are they able to do that?"

Her mother mulls over the question, as she absentmindedly runs her fingers through her daughter's hair.

"Well Toni, that's their job," her mother replies thickly, remnants of her mother tongue coating her inflection "The Justice League was created to protect us civvies,"

… _The Justice League?_

Toni peers up at her mother, blue eyes shining.

"Mama… do you think I could do that?" she states shyly as she looks down at her knees. She can feel her mother's fingers freeze in her hair.

"You can do anything you put your mind to Toni," her mother eventually settles on "If joining the Justice League is what you desire, then so be it,"

Toni grins at that and hugs her mother's knee. Her mother smiles at that, before taking on a more serious tone.

"But… be warned Antoinette, joining the Justice League isn't what makes a _true_ hero," Her mother states sternly "It is amazing what they do, do not get me wrong. But, you should be worried about being a good person first and foremost. You should always be _kind_ to others. _That_ is what makes a true hero,"

Toni nods at that as she rests her head in her mother's lap.

"Mama… I don't care about being a hero," Toni states stubbornly "I just want to protect _you_ ,"

Adelaide freezes at that, before crushing her daughter in a hug.

"No my love," She replies firmly " _I_ protect you, not the other way around,"

Toni pouts at that, causing her mother to pinch her cheeks.

"My darling girl. You shall grow to do great _amazing_ things," Adelaide states as she goes to make dinner.

Hearing it come from her mother… Toni almost believes it.

* * *

The first time Toni experiences her… anomaly, she is only six years old. She is with Adelaide at her job, a dingy tattoo parlor located in the slums of Gotham. It isn't too far from their actual home.

Her mother is talented, of that Toni has no doubt. But the job isn't enough to truly support the both of them. Even so, Adelaide enjoys her work. Whenever she's tattooing a customer, she has the utmost focus.

She even lets Toni practice on her at times.

Adelaide looks down at her arm in awe, before turning to Toni with a grin.

"My darling, this is exquisite!" She exclaims as she shows it off to the other people in the parlor. Toni grins at that, even _if_ she knows Adelaide's lying. All she had done was a tiny black circle on the back of Adelaide's palm. It was hardly worthy of praise.

But… that was the kind of person Adelaide was. Good and pure to the core.

She watches her mother parade around the parlor with her 'tattoo', when an unexpected visitor walks in.

He's a big man, Toni notes as her mother gets in front of her. He has a gold tooth and large _bulging_ muscles.

He reaches into his back pocket, and pulls out a silvery metal-

… _Is that a gun?_

Like clockwork, everyone in the parlor screams immediately ducking for cover. Toni stares at the man in front of her, in anger and awe.

Adelaide however… she remains passive. She stares at the man cooly.

"How may I help you?" she says as she puts a hand in front of her to shield the other customers.

The grin he gives her is downright _disgusting_.

"Oh you could help me in a _lot_ of ways babe," he purrs "But… _sadly_ that's not why I'm here,"

Toni growls at that, bringing his attention towards her.

"Who's this little cutie?" he states walking towards her. Adelaide spits in his face.

"You keep away from her!" she exclaims as she attempts to wrestle the gun out of the man's hand.

Adelaide is strong, but the man is _much_ stronger.

He backhands Adelaide with ease, knocking her to the ground with a thud. He points his gun towards her as he wipes his face.

"Learn some respect _bitch_ -"

Something in Toni _snaps_. It shifts and resurfaces _violently_.

She jumps onto the man and touches his face.

The man stares at her in annoyance raising a dark eyebrow at the child, before screaming out in pure _agony_.

She… she doesn't quite know how she did it. All she remembers feeling is anger and _disgust_ at the _filth_ that had dared to harm her mother.

The man slams her away from him, as he howls in pain. The place where she had touched was now covered in incredibly severe looking burns.

He glares at her with the utmost hatred in his eyes.

"I'll be back you _freak_ ," he hisses as he practically runs out of the store. He ends up leaving his gun Toni realizes later with a snort.

The inhabitants of the store finally raise their heads and stare at him in confusion, not completely sure as to what just transpired. Too busy cowering to pay attention

Her mother looks at her for a moment, her gaze _unreadable_ before she eventually gathers her in a hug. She whispers sweet nothings into her ear as Toni stands there motionless.

"You foolish girl," she reprimands "Why would you _do_ that! You could've been _killed_!"

Toni stares at her mother in confusion and then turns to the other customers. They all stare at her with something akin to relief in their eyes. Had they not seen what she just did?

She feels her mother start to shake, and Toni finally returns the hug.

"I'm sorry Mama," she states "I just wanted to protect you,"

"Foolish _foolish_ girl," her mother huffs " _I_ protect _you_. Never forget that!"

Toni nods and listens to her mother and the other occupants of the parlor scold her for her stupidity.

Even though she's being yelled at, she can't help but smile slightly. It was nice to be reminded that people cared every once in a while.

She attempts to push her… her _ability_ to the back of her mind. It proves to be a fruitless endeavor, however.

She wasn't normal. She had never _been_ normal, and would never get the _chance_ to be normal.

She had always known it deep down, but now it was being shoved into her face. It was suffocating her and leaving her no room to breathe.

She was in the DC universe, she lived in _Gotham_ , and she was a metahuman.

She looks into her mother's pale blue eyes and forces a smile on her face.

She wonders what she ever did to deserve this.

* * *

A week after her seventh birthday, she asks herself that question once more.

Carol Reid an elderly neighbor pats Toni's shoulder as the dark-skinned girl wipes at her eyes furiously. She stares at the headstone in front of her.

It reads ' _Adelaide Spencer, Loving Mother, and daughter, 1974-2001'._

* * *

Author's note: So… I've started another story. This time in the DC universe. I know I put it under the _Young Justice_ category, and there _will_ be events from _Young Justice_ in this story, but there will also be other aspects of the DC universe and other characters that weren't in _Young Justice_ in this story. As I mentioned in the summary, the main OC is a metahuman. Her powers will consist of the ability to control the temperature around her. This is why she was able to burn the guy that tried to rob the tattoo parlor. I have a lot planned, so this will most likely be a _really_ long story. Antoinette(she'll mostly be called Toni) _knows_ that she's in the DC universe, but any of her foreknowledge will be mostly useless due to the fact she doesn't know about _Young Justice_. When canon starts, she'll experience things with everyone else. Please stay tuned to see what I do with this!

Questions I have for you Guys:

What do you guys think of this story so far? What do you think of Toni?

What do you think of Toni's powers?

 _P.S. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Stay tuned!_


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Young Justice.

* * *

Her mother's death hits her without warning. It just _happens_. One day she's strong and healthy, the next… it's almost as if she's _withering_ away.

She doesn't know what killed her mother exactly, and people refuse to tell her. It… it makes her feel useless.

In hindsight, there was nothing she could've done to stop it. Toni isn't naive enough to believe that.

But… that knowledge doesn't stop her from feeling so incredibly _worthless_.

 _How could you have missed the signs? You're supposed to be better than this!_

 _You said that you were going to protect her! What_ _ **good**_ _are you?_

She stops herself before her thoughts can get too dark. Her new caretaker Miss Reid calls out for her to help with dinner, and she obliges easily enough.

Dinner is plain tasteless white rice, with a glass of water that Toni doesn't _completely_ trust. It isn't much, but it's more than what most people living here have.

Much like her mother, Miss Reid doesn't have enough money to _truly_ support the both of them. Toni can feel herself growing skinnier and skinnier by the day.

It _angers_ her.

She looks at the rags she's forced to call clothing, and the beaten down trainers on her feet and scoffs.

She wanted- no she _needed_ more than this.

That's what leads to her current situation.

He's a handsome man she notices as she trails after him. Tan skin, light hair and pretty light brown eyes. His clothes and cologne _reeked_ of wealth.

He has a beautiful woman on each arm, and it makes Toni want to _hurl._

She would _enjoy_ robbing him.

Her mother would be disgusted by Toni's… nightly activities. But she tries not to dwell on it.

Her mother was _dead_. Why should her opinion even matter in the long run?

She trails after the man for a few more minutes, before rushing forward and 'accidentally' bumping into him.

The three adults wrinkle their noses at her, and she forces a smile on her face.

"I'm really sorry sir," she states with the utmost sincerity, widening her eyes for extra effect. One of the women scoffs at that, and Toni represses the urge to roll her eyes.

The man straightens and wipes the area where Toni had touched excessively.

"It's… it's quite alright," he says slowly as Toni beams at him "Run along now… child,"

"Why thank you, sir! Have a wonderful day," Toni curtsies towards him and complies with his request.

She tries not to gag when she hears the woman fawn over how 'nice' he was to the street rat.

She bobs and weaves through the crowds, taking in the sound of honking cars and the smell of marijuana.

She eventually finds her way to an abandoned alleyway and tries to ignore the passed out drunkard lying near the trash cans.

She opens the man's wallet and discreetly counts out the money she had scored.

Ten, twenty- _fifty_ dollars in all. She feels the corners of her lips twitch upwards.

She would _finally_ be able to eat well tonight.

* * *

She robs five more people that night. Each one remaining just as clueless as the last.

She knows that each one of her victims pities her. She saw it in each one of their eyes before she went about her business. They see her age, the color of her skin, and the sorry state of her clothing and it makes them feel _bad_. It makes them question their privileged lifestyles.

When she brings home the money, Miss Reid can't quite meet her eyes.

Toni suspects the elderly woman knows how Toni has come across her earnings. But… she can't find it in herself to care.

It benefits the elderly lady as well, so why should she feel bad about it? It's not as if any of the people she robbed actually _needed_ the money.

She was like Robin Hood, Toni realized gleefully. She took from the rich and spoiled and gave to the poor and needy.

Dinner, which consisted of chicken parmesan Toni noted happily, was tense that evening. With a brittle smile that didn't reach her eyes, Miss Reid retired to her bedchambers without even finishing her dinner.

Toni watches her go with narrowed eyes and a heavy feeling in her stomach.

If it was helping them to survive, then what was so _wrong_ with what she was doing?

She waits until she's completely sure Miss Reid is asleep, before sneaking out into the city once more.

No matter what time of day it is, Gotham is never truly asleep. Cars still rush by, drugs are still being sold, and people are still being robbed.

She walks aimlessly for a few moments, observing the night sky.

Uptown might be different, but in the slums of Gotham, the nighttime is _never_ pretty.

Dark blue eyes stare up at the dreary city line, as she hunches in on herself.

She… she doesn't quite know what to do with herself.

She knew stealing was wrong by normal standards, but she _really_ didn't care. Whenever she stole, she felt a rush of adrenaline course through her veins. It made her feel invincible.

It was only an added bonus that she was now able to help pay rent and buy decent food. Even if Miss Reid was a bit standoffish recently, she knew the elderly woman was grateful for that at least.

She weaves through the alleyways, keeping her head down and ignoring the other inhabitants of the slums. One of the other children-Pedro- nods at her as she makes her way past him. His eyes dark and lifeless just like the rest of the children that live here.

They aren't friends necessarily, but they watch out for each other. It was the unspoken rule of living in this shithole.

After walking aimlessly for a few more minutes, Toni catches sight of her next victim. A tall skinny man with a cigarette dangling from his lips. He looked as if a light shove could put him out of commission.

She sighs and schools her face. She rushes towards him like she does any of her victims.

Instead of staying in place, the man moves to the side swiftly. Toni loses her footing and ends up falling flat on her face. She feels a foot ground into her back.

" _Fils de pute!_ What do you think you're doing exactly?" The man states, his dark eyes peering down at her.

Toni struggles to form a sentence and feels his foot ground deeper and deeper.

"Answer me or else," the man hisses, grabbing her by her hair.

Even though pain is searing through her scalp, Toni remains silent. She stares up at the man and spits in his face.

The man backhands her easily enough.

"Such blatant disrespect," The man tuts, wiping his face with a handkerchief "Here I am minding my business, and you just decide to attack me. I _should_ kick your ass,"

Toni struggles underneath his grip. She quickly realizes that even though he looked weak, in reality, he was anything _but_.

"Oh screw you _asshole_ , a pansy like you wouldn't be able to kick my ass," Toni spits even though her situation says otherwise. She continuously struggles to break free.

The man laughs at that, before flinging her to the side like a ragdoll. He looks at her in interest.

" _Intéressant,_ what's your name kid?"

Toni stares at the man. Observes his highly calculative eyes, and well-kept clothing. She can't help but see the tattoo that decorates his shoulder blade.

"You in a gang?" Toni questions, slowly inching away from him. If he _was_ in a gang… then Toni was hightailing it the hell out of there. She may have been a thief, but even she didn't want to get involved in a gang.

The man laughs once more and shakes his head.

"Nosy aren't you. For your information I am not in a gang, at least not anymore," he adds as an afterthought much to Toni's confusion.

"I _have_ to be nosy, that's the only way to survive here," Toni amends "Besides… it's rude to ask for someone else's name before giving your own,"

"Who are you to talk about rudeness when you just attempted to rob me?"

Toni remains quiet but continues to look at the man in front of her. Her palms heat up, and she clenches her fists desperately. The man sighs and levels a smile at her.

"Enzo, my name is Enzo,"

"Antoinette, Antoinette Marie Spencer. You can call me Toni,"

Enzo looks at her for a moment and chuckles slightly.

"Nice meeting ya, Toni," he calls out as he walks away from her.

Toni smiles at his back, as she pulls out the wallet that she had nicked from him when she had spat in his face. To her surprise, Enzo stops and turns around to smirk at her.

"I know you have my wallet doll. Think of it as a birthday present," he states as he saunters away.

Toni's face changes at that, as she looks through the contents of the wallet. Her jaw drops as she sees that there's no money in it.

Instead, there was a wrinkled posted note with a smiley face on it.

Dark blue eyes narrow in annoyance as she watches her first failed conquest walk away.

* * *

The next day while Toni is out buying groceries, a group of men in masks ambush her.

She kicks, screams, and curses, but _nothing_ is enough.

She eventually gives up and becomes resigned to the fact that she might be meeting her mother sooner than she had planned.

" _I wonder what Mama will think of me when she sees me?"_ Toni wonders as she finally stops struggling.

For those few moments, her mind is in a haze. Until she is tossed on the ground and a very familiar voice breaks through.

" _Merde_. I thought I told you guys to go easy on her?" Enzo states, with a tone of annoyance.

One of the masked men scoffs and shakes their head.

"Look, boss," a feminine voice replied from underneath the mask, surprising Toni greatly, "You said to subdue her and that's what we did. Don't start bitching at us,"

"Connie's right," a more manly voice stated, "Why do you even need this kid anyway?"

Enzo sighed and slapped Toni's cheek none too lightly. The dark skinned girl shot up at that.

"What the hell is your problem?!" Toni hisses "Did you bring me here to fulfill some of your sick fantasies?"

Enzo's face shifts in disgust at.

"Err… no," Enzo replies before shuddering "I may be an asshole, but I'm not a pedophile. Nor am I a rapist,"

Toni scowls at that and glares at the woman who had been restraining her.

'Connie' had a muscular build, with a pixie cut that had been dyed a dark red. If she hadn't just assisted in kidnapping her, Toni might've complimented it.

"Then what do you want?" Toni asks "It can't be revenge since I didn't _actually_ steal from you,"

Connie and the other man let out a loud laugh at that. Enzo just rolls his eyes.

"This is the brat that stole from you, boss? That's just sad," the man states wiping his eyes as he finally takes the mask off. The man has a major babyface, and Toni finds herself wanting to pinch his cheeks.

" _Tais-Toi_ Leo. The only thing she stole from me was a posted note," Enzo grins down at her "Which I'd like back by the way,"

Toni sputters and shakes her head.

"Sucks for you because I threw it out," Toni sneers "That was really low of you,"

"Low of me? You're the one that wanted to steal from me," Enzo stated as he inspected his fingernails "Anyway… that's not the point. The thing is… even if it was a posted note, you still stole from me," Enzo kneels down next to her, eyes as dark as sin looking through her soul "I don't like it when people steal from me y'know,"

Toni gulps at that and tries to look for the nearest exit. Enzo laughs at her reaction.

"Don't worry about it kid, I'm not gonna kill you or anything," Enzo states nonchalantly "I'd like to make a proposition in fact,"

Toni raises her head at him and sighs.

"Look you pervert, as I said before I'm not gonna play a part in one of your sick f-"

"That's not what I mean," Enzo hastily amends "I want you to work for me,"

For a moment, everything freezes. Toni _hadn't_ been expecting that.

"... why?" She questions quietly, looking towards the ground. Enzo just laughs.

"Not a lot of people have the balls to try and steal from me, or even spit at me for that matter. You're sneaky, and we could use that. You got guts and I want you on my side," he reaches a hand towards her "What do ya say?"

A warm feeling blossoms through Toni's stomach as she looks at his outstretched hand.

It wouldn't be awful to work with him, would it? If something happened and they were caught, she could always just say that she was forced into it. She looks at the other people in the room, and Connie and Leo look at her expectantly.

She stares at his hand once more and takes it in her own. She raises her gaze to meet his. Her dark blue eyes burning.

"A pleasure to be working with you boss," Toni states reluctantly. Enzo grins down at her.

"Why, the pleasure is all mine, _Toni_ ,"

* * *

A few minutes later Toni's head snaps up, Connie looks at her in alarm.

"You alright kid?" The redhead inquired worriedly. Toni looks at her in worry.

"What is it you guys do exactly? Are you smugglers or what?"

Connie smirks at that.

"In a sense. We rely on smugglers, but we ourselves don't usually deal with that. We're more of sellers,"

"What do you sell?" Toni questions as dread pools in her stomach. She knows the answer, but she _needs_ to hear it from their mouths.

"My dear Antoinette," Enzo starts "We sell happiness and prosperity. We help people to forget their troubles-"

"We sell drugs," Leo cuts in much to Enzo's annoyance.

Toni's jaw drops as she puts her head in her hands.

" _My mother is rolling in her grave,"_ Toni mutters dejectedly. Leo just pats her head good-naturedly.

* * *

Author's Note: Here's _Vesper_ chapter 2! I want to take the time to thank all the people who have favorited and reviewed so far. It truly means a lot. A lot happened this chapter, so I feel that I should review it a little. After her mother's death, Toni fell off the wagon in a sense. She's a bit colder and calculating, and she doesn't really care about what happens to her since the one person she cared about is no longer living. That's why she steals. Other than the fact that she's good at it, or the fact that it gives her an adrenaline rush, the reason she steals is that she simply doesn't care about herself anymore. She's only eight right now(her mother died right after she turned seven) so this won't be her mentality forever. She will grow to care about other people and start to care about her life again. Now onto the new characters. Enzo, Connie, and Leo will play a large part in Toni's development. They'll really make her question the difference between good and evil(due to the fact that they're technically criminals). Along with these new characters comes Toni's new lifestyle. Starting next chapter, you'll see her working alongside these three. You'll also see her start to do more and more illegal activities.

Questions I have for you Guys:

What do you guys think of Toni? (I know I asked this last chapter, but the last chapter showcased a happier more childlike Toni. The Toni showed this chapter is more of the Toni we'll see throughout the story)

What do you think of the new characters that were introduced this chapter? (Enzo, Connie, Leo)

Do you guys have any questions for me?

 _P.S. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!_

 _P.P.S. In case you guys were curious, the language Enzo is speaking is French."_


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice.

* * *

Miss Reid glared down at her as she made it back into the rundown apartment they shared. Toni paid her no mind and kicked off her shoes as she went to watch TV.

It had been about three weeks since she had started working for Enzo. Three weeks since she had given up her life of being a common pickpocket. She still stole every once in a while, it was impossible for her _not_ to.

But… she was tapering off slowly and slowly.

Her new job mostly consisted of meeting with the customers and dropping off the cargo. It was easy, and it made her a hell of a lot of money. Enzo was nothing if not generous in sharing the wealth.

Connie and Leo were the main people that worked with Enzo, but Toni was quickly learning that the man had a lot of people who called him 'Boss'.

Whenever she had gone to check up with him, numerous people would be leaving his apartment at a time. Men, women, young, old. Enzo didn't discriminate when it came to collecting underlings. If he saw something he could use, he went for it.

She knew it wasn't for the best reasons, but Toni was flattered that Enzo saw something worthwhile in her. That he saw potential in her.

Miss Reid cleared her throat, and Toni looked up at her expectantly.

"Did you need something, Miss Reid? Is the milk finished?" Toni asked nonchalantly as she watched the news. Her nose wrinkled in disgust as the _Justice League_ made a public appearance.

What a bunch of _hypocrites_. They talked about protecting the common people, yet when it came to people like her or _any_ children that lived in the slums. It was okay to let them rot away.

In another life, she had idolized them, but now… looking at them made her sick.

The television was promptly turned off, as Miss Reid put her hands on her hips and stared at Toni menacingly.

"Your school called today," Oops.

Toni sighed at that and schooled her face. She smiled up at Miss Reid.

"And?" Her face was turned to the side by the power of the elderly woman's strike. With her right cheek throbbing, Toni glances up at her caretaker. Her blue eyes carefully blank.

" _And?_ What the hell do you mean by that?!" The elderly woman hisses "They say you haven't been in school for the past _two weeks_! Just where have you been going?"

 _Out performing drug runs_ Toni carefully _doesn't_ say. Instead, she ignores her and goes to leave the apartment.

With speed, Toni didn't know the elderly woman _possessed_ , Miss Reid was in front of her in an instant.

"Stop this Antoinette. _Please_. You know your mother-"

Miss Reid doubles back at the ferociousness of Toni's glare. The younger girl grits her teeth.

"Don't _ever_ mention her. She's not here, so she won't dictate what I do," Toni hisses as she bushes past the elderly women quite roughly. Miss Reid grabs her shoulder, and Toni feels something inside of her _snap_. She brushes Miss Reid's hand off roughly.

Miss Reid pulls away as if she had been _burned_. She looks down at Toni in horror.

"Why… why are you so _hot_ -"

Toni stares at the woman. Braces herself when the woman's gaze turns lethal.

" _You_ -"

Toni doesn't give her a chance to finish. She takes the woman's moment of weakness and hightails it out of there.

She runs down the stairs two at a time, knocking into someone on her way down. Her heart beats loudly as if someone was beating a drum in her chest.

Her palms heated up and cooled down simultaneously as she took deep breaths.

She had burned miss Reid, and her secret was out. She _couldn't_ go back there.

The thought of it made her feel _slightly_ sad.

Before she passed, Toni remembered a conversation she had shared with her mother.

She recalled that even moments before death, Adelaide had looked breathtakingly beautiful.

" _Je'taime Cheri,_ " she had stated surprising Toni. Her mother had almost _never_ spoken in her mother tongue " _But… I fear that I may not be with you much longer,"_

Toni clutched her mother's arm and shook her head.

" _Mama, stop it. You need to rest. Forget what those doctors say, you'll get better soon,"_ Toni had stated, turning to fetch more blankets. Adelaide had just stared at her and beckoned her to come closer.

" _No Antoinette. I need to speak with you,"_ her mother had replied sternly " _Listen to me,"_

Toni stared at her for a moment, taking in her presence before going to kneel down next to her.

Adelaide stroked her cheek.

" _Toni… you're special. So very special. The gift God has blessed you with is spectacular,"_ her mother had stated raspily, causing Toni to nod her head.

Adelaide's eyes took on a sharper turn as her grip on Toni tightened.

" _But… not everyone sees it that way. People will want to use you for your power Antoinette, especially in Gotham,"_ Adelaide's eyes turned wistful for a moment " _When I first came to this country I wanted nothing more than to leave this place. Then I met your father and I had you… things got a bit more complicated,"_

Toni nodded her head once more, and desperately tried to ignore the burning in her eyes.

" _Antoinette… what I'm trying to say is that you need to be careful. Tell no one of your abilities,"_

" _Conceal don't feel,"_ Toni joked wetly, laughing at the dumbfounded look on Adelaide's face " _I… I saw it in a movie once,"_

Her mother nodded her head.

" _Yes, Antoinette. Do your best-"_

A loud bang breaks Toni out of her musings. The dark skinned girl looks at her surroundings hurriedly.

People are rushing past her, as she maneuvers her way through the crowd. Her throat falls into her stomach at the sight she's met with.

A boy- ' _He couldn't be older than ten'_ Toni thinks- laid in an alleyway. A gunshot wound was located near his ribcage.

She vomited onto her shoes.

 _How much shittier could this day get?_ She thought as she observed the surroundings. A green bandana was tied around the boy's wrist. She had seen the same bandana on many gang members that liked to loiter around.

She wanted to leave. She wanted nothing more than to erase this memory from her mind but she _couldn't_. She couldn't just leave him there.

She pushed her back up against the wall and waited for the authorities to come.

Eventually, Pedro walked up to the scene and cursed at the sight in front of them. He stared down at her warily and took the seat next to her.

Toni's lips curl with disgust.

 _Where were the police? Where was the Justice League, the so-called_ _ **protectors**_ _of the world?_ _ **Where was Batman for god sake?!**_

Day turns into night with Pedro still by her side. A police car eventually pulled up.

The police officers questioned the both of them. After making sure it wasn't _them_ that had pulled the trigger they finally do their job. It takes everything in her not to curse them out, and it helps that Pedro's restraining her as well.

They take the kid's body away and mark the area as a crime scene. Pedro sighs, and gives Toni a pat on the back before walking away.

Toni lingers for a moment. But after one of the police officers quite frankly tells her to 'get lost', she finally makes her exit. But not before flipping said police officer off of course, and running as fast as her legs can take her.

* * *

When she enters the apartment that Enzo, Connie, and Leo share, she tries to hold herself together.

Connie is the first one to notice her and automatically scrunches her nose.

"Damn Toni, you smell _awful_. Hop in the shower and I'll get you some clean clothes," The red-haired woman stated. Toni just nodded numbly.

Leo was on the couch napping, while Enzo just stared at Toni blankly.

"Where have you been?" The man inquires wryly, flipping through a magazine "You were supposed to stop by yesterday,"

Toni froze and shook her head. She gave Enzo a forced smile.

"Haha, I guess I forgot. You don't have to pay me my cut this wee-"

"Shut up Antoinette," Enzo interrupted sharply causing Toni to do a double take. The usually easy going man stared at her with nothing but pure annoyance.

"Look, I'm sorry I wasn't able to make it yesterday. I know you're anal about punctuality-"

" _Toni,"_ The dark skinned girl looked at Enzo in shock as he advanced towards her. She wilted slightly.

"... I know what happened. That kid he… he was in the wrong place at the wrong time," Enzo stated pitifully "You stayed with him right?"

Toni stared at Enzo for a moment, before narrowing her eyes.

"How do you know that?"

Enzo stared back at her, and let out a barking laugh.

" _How do I know that?_ Antoinette, I have eyes and ears _everywhere_. The moment you didn't make it here yesterday, I called up a few people,"

Toni felt her cheeks burn indignation as her lips pulled into a snarl.

"What do you think gives you the right-"

Enzo raises his hand as a plea for her to stop and shakes his head.

"You're working for me, so you're my responsibility," Enzo replies, reaching down to ruffle her admittedly messy hair "And _wow_ kid, you really need a shower,"

Connie chooses that moment to come rushing in.

"Toni, the baths ready for you. I'll go see if I can scrounge up some clothes," the redhead prattles as she leaves the room once more.

Toni feels her eyes burn, as she looks at the redhead's retreating back. A low chuckle escapes Enzo's throat.

"It's getting dark out. Do you think you'll be able to make it home?" Enzo asks as he returns to reading his magazine. Toni shakes her head numbly.

"Well… it can't be helped. You'll just have to stay here a bit," Enzo replies nonchalantly.

A warm moisture makes its way down Toni's cheeks. An ugly hiccuping sound escapes her voice box.

"Why?" she croaked "You guys are supposed to be… you're not supposed to _care_ about me,"

"Why not? Cause we sell drugs were not capable of being decent humans?" Leo states, speaking up for the first time as he awakes from his nap "At least we don't sell people. Now _that's_ messed up,"

Enzo nods at that, and Toni lowers her head.

"I'm sorry," the young girl replied "I mean… who am I to judge? The only reason we're speaking is because I tried to steal from you,"

Leo cracks up at that, and Enzo sends him a petulant glare.

"Lets… let's not mention that," Enzo states as he reaches to grab a cigarette "it's not like you succeeded anyway,"

"Only because-"

Connie clears her throat and stares pointedly at Toni causing the younger girl to flush.

"Alright, alright I get it. I smell like shit-"

" _Language,"_

"I'll get in the bath so calm yourselves," Toni said grumpily as she removed her shoes and made her way towards the bathroom.

* * *

After removing herself from the bath, Toni observed herself in the mirror. She couldn't help but flinch at the sight she was met with.

A skinny dark-skinned girl, with jarring blue eyes that were permanently slanted, glared back at her. Her face set in a permanent scowl.

She cupped her cheek and tried to see if she could find any similarities with her mother.

Adelaide had been a pale-skinned beauty with the longest blonde hair Toni had ever laid _eyes_ on.

She, on the other hand, took after her father _-whoever the hell that was' she thought bitterly_ \- and had much rougher features.

Her hair -a thick dark brown that _refused_ to be tamed, no matter what she did-framed her face messily. Her button like nose was her only good feature in her opinion.

Eventually, she breaks eye contact with her reflection and puts on the clothes Connie left out for her. A cute white dress that most definitely didn't suit her. Seeing as she has no other options, however, Toni puts it on without complaint.

She wrestles with her hair in order to put it into a semi-presentable knot and gives up immediately. If her hair looked like a bird's nest so be it.

She walks back into the living room and tries not to wince when Connie coos at her. She had never taken the shorthaired woman to be very feminine at first, but she was quickly proved wrong.

When not working, Connie loved to experiment with different types of makeup and clothing. If she wasn't getting ready to kick your ass, then she could be seen as quite attractive.

"That dress looks amazing on you Toni! Do I have an eye for fashion or what?"

Toni nods numbly and mumbles her thanks. Leo frowns at that and raises an eyebrow.

"Really kid? You'd usually have a smart ass response to say to one of us,"

Toni just shrugs and thinks about the past forty-eight hours.

She couldn't go back to stay with Miss Reid. The old woman may have cared for her at first, but she knew the elder woman didn't care for metahumans.

' _Abominations'_ she had called them, thinking back to her church days. ' _They're all abominations, Antoinette'._

Toni had just nodded along with that, ignoring the slight glowing and heat settling in her palms.

She… she had seen a dead body as well.

It wasn't her first time seeing a dead body sadly, You were bound to come across one eventually living in Gotham. But it had been the first time she had seen one so _young_.

… Would that be her one day?

She looked down at her hands helplessly and sighed. What was the use in getting worked up over it? With people like the Joker of all things waltzing around, what could she be expected to do? There was nothing she could do, nothing at all.

It was time for her to grow up and accept that.

She forces a smile on her face and stares at Leo causing the man to shift uneasily.

"I'm trying to be nice today Leo. I wouldn't want you to start crying again now would I?"

Leo sputters at that, and Connie and Enzo roar with laughter.

Toni grins slightly and takes a seat on the couch. It wouldn't- it _couldn't_ \- be permanent. Once they found out about her mutation they would undoubtedly kick her out and shun her. She wouldn't blame them.

A metahuman living with you? It painted a target on your back. Targets that they didn't need.

But, as she felt Connie saddle up behind her to braid her hair. As she watched Enzo and Leo just laze about until it was time for work again. Toni found herself not caring.

Eventually, she would leave, but now… she would enjoy her new home for as long as she could.

* * *

Author's Note: So here's _Vesper_ chapter 3! As of right now, _Vesper_ has **20** favorites **18** followers and **12** reviews. I really can't thank you guys enough. A few things happened this chapter. For starters, Toni is now no longer living with Miss Reid. I didn't really show Miss Reid's reaction well enough, but she generally does not care for metahumans. This isn't the last time Miss Reid will show up, however, so you'll find out more on _why_ she dislikes metahumans soon enough. Also, more on Toni's powers as well. She hasn't used them that much yet, but they mostly respond to whatever emotion she feels. If she's angry(which she is most of the time) Her temperature obviously rises which gives her the ability to burn things. When she's sad or afraid, then she's able to freeze things. That's why she burned Miss Reid and the robber from chapter 1, and that's why she hasn't really used the other aspect of her power. Toni's main emotion is anger, she doesn't usually feel sad or scared. Eventually, she'll spend some time attempting to control her powers. But, right now all she really cares about is surviving and one day getting out of the slums. She just tries to ignore her powers as of right now.

Questions I have for you Guys:

What characters would you be excited to see Toni interact with?

How do you feel about _Vesper_ so far?

 _P.S. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter._

 _P.P.S. I'll be very disappointed if you guys didn't catch the Frozen reference._


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own Young Justice.

* * *

Toni's 9th birthday brought about many new developments.

For starters, Enzo had been starting to gain a plethora of new customers. Whether that was good or bad, Toni wasn't completely sure.

On one hand, they were making a hell of a lot more money but on the other hand…

The only reason the competition was getting scarce was that the Dark Knight of Gotham(and wasn't that name just so _stupid_ ) had been cracking down lately on drug dealers and what _he_ deemed to be filth.

One night, she had heard Connie whispering to Enzo worriedly.

"I'm scared Enzo," Connie had admitted, surprising Toni a bit "I… I have a record. You _know_ that. What if we-"

Enzo had just raised his hand to silence her and took a puff of his cigarette. He smiled at Connie.

"Don't worry about it sweetheart, I'll take care of us. Of _all_ of us,"

If Connie teared up a bit after hearing that, Enzo didn't mention it.

Toni became a bit more observant, a bit more _paranoid_ after hearing that conversation.

Whenever a police car even _drove_ by she'd get jumpy. Which wasn't completely out of the ordinary considering police cars almost never stopped by the slums.

Along with her new sense of paranoia, also came Toni's first time seeing a supervillain and fellow metahuman in person.

Now Gotham wasn't a safe place, that was just _fact_. But Toni had always been lucky enough in her nine years to never be in any true danger. Sure she had almost gotten mugged a few times, been in a few robberies, seen multiple people off themselves in the alleyways she used to inhabit. But there had never been any true danger to her _physical well being_.

Mr. Freeze was an intimidating man Toni realized as she hid behind some trash cans. She watched in trepidation as he terrorized a helpless young mother and her child.

Her palms cooled as she looked at the scene in front of her, before heating again in anger.

 _Of course_ , this had to happen. Of course, _Batman_ wanted to take down drug dealers, but couldn't be bothered to take down people like _this_ -

A dark shadow passed over Toni, and her breath caught.

Now… Toni had seen superheroes in action before. On a TV screen at least.

But seeing a superhero in person was a completely different ball game.

Batman, in all his 'glory' Toni thought snidely, stood a few feet in front of her assessing the scene before him.

No matter _how_ much she wanted to, she couldn't take her eyes off of him.

He fought with stealth and expertise. As if he had been born and bred in the art of it. Watching him made something in Toni's stomach _burn_.

With only a few precise strikes to the metahuman, Mr. Freeze was out of commission.

With a scoff, and her signature scowl decorating her face Toni made to leave the scene. The sight in front of her made her stop dead in her tracks, however.

The kid that had been standing with their mother looked at Batman in awe as the authorities rolled up. He discreetly tugged on his mother's arm, and Toni could make out the words ' _I want to do that_ ' leaving his lips. Something in her heart twinged.

She stood there for a few more moments before forcing herself to look away.

She still _hated_ Batman.

* * *

Toni glared balefully at Connie as the redhead effortlessly pulled off a backflip.

"How the hell are you doing that?" Toni inquired glaring at the redhead "I thought gymnasts had to be skinny?"

Connie flipped her off, before running a hand through her short locks.

"Oh shut up. I'd rather have some curves than be a stick like you," Connie replied as she went to the kitchen "It's good to have a little meat on you,"

"Yeah yeah yeah," Toni waved off "You still didn't answer my question. How are you doing that?"

"Well… " Connie started, as she stretched languidly "Starting from the time I was three up until high school, I took gymnastics classes,"

Toni's eyes widened comically at that.

"Where'd you get the money for _that_? If I wanted to take ballet-"

" _Gymnastics,"_

"I'd have to pickpocket _at least_ one person an hour for a few months," Toni calculated causing Connie to roll her eyes "And could you make me some French toast? I'm starved,"

Connie rolled her eyes but obliged easily enough.

They sat in a comfortable silence for a few moments before Connie clutched her stomach abruptly.

Toni stared at her in alarm and moved towards her warily.

"You alright Con? You look green," Toni stated going to fetch the older girl a cup of water.

Connie just shook her head and ran straight towards the bathroom.

Toni looked after her and quickly turned the stove off. She listened in disgust as Connie emptied out her stomach contents.

Cheeks flushed, after a few moments Connie exited the bathroom. Toni looked at her confusedly and pushed the water into the redhead's hand.

"Are you hungover? I thought you'd of all people would be able to hold your licker-"

"I'm not hungover Toni," Connie interrupted harshly putting the glass of water down roughly "I'm… I just don't feel well. Leave me alone ok?"

Toni's jaw dropped as Connie hurriedly went to her room and slammed the door. Leo walked into the living room groggily and stared after the place that Connie had vacated.

"What's up with her?" Leo asked grouchily "She on her period or something?"

"Probably," Toni replied nonplussed, before turning an accusatory eye towards Leo "What have _you_ been doing today? Besides jacking off of course-"

Toni had to duck to avoid being hit by the large pillow Leo sent her way. His tan face was flushed.

"You-I- you are such a _weird_ kid!" Leo sputtered as he made to hurriedly leave the living room "How are you-I-"

"Don't hurt yourself babyface," Toni replied as she went to watch TV. Leo put his hands over his face as he made to leave the living room. Toni cackled as she made to call after him.

"You didn't _deny_ it~"

As Leo slammed the door Toni couldn't help but grin full heartedly as the news came on. She watched avidly as Cat Grant, an up and coming reporter, informed viewers about what was going on with the world.

A sudden thought broke her concentration, however.

"She didn't make me my french toast," Toni grumbled as she went to the fridge to find some food to eat.

* * *

Connie stared down at Toni guiltily and fiddled with her hands nervously.

"Toni… about yesterday I-"

"Don't waste your breath red," Toni stated firmly "I don't really care,"

Connie's brown eyes observed Toni before nodding slightly. Her shoulders seemed to sag with relief.

"What I _do_ care about is you teaching me some of those fancy ballet tricks you did yesterday,"

"It's not ballet Toni. It's _gymnastics_ ,"

"Whatever. Just teach me,"

Connie rolled her eyes fondly, before looking at Toni once more.

"Well… you look like you would have good form,"

"Gross Connie. You're a million years too old for me-"

"I'm only 25, and that's _not_ what I meant!" Connie snapped "I meant that you have good posture and that within a few months you might be able to do some of the tricks I showed you yesterday,"

" _Months?_ "

"You can't be a master gymnast overnight. Besides, we'd need some equipment, and _you_ need to build up some upper body strength anyway," A sadistic glint entered Connie's eyes "This might be a good time to teach you some self-defense too,"

Toni shook her head immediately.

" _No way_. I value my life too much for that," Toni replied immediately "Just gymnastics,"

"Come on Toni! You need to learn some basic self-defense. You won't be cute and puerile forever-"

" _Puerile?_ Are you a dictionary or something?" Toni questioned angrily "I don't _want_ to fight-"

"You need to fight Toni!" Connie broke through "You need to defend yourself in some way, or you might _die_ ,"

Toni stared at the redhead in front of her blankly. Struggling to process the words that had just left her mouth.

" _Whatever you do Antoinette, I want you to live a long life. I don't want you to see me again until your old and wrinkly-"_

Toni stood there motionlessly for a few moments as Connie rubbed her face agitatedly.

"I don't know _what_ I was thinking listening to Enzo," Connie muttered "I'm sorry I was so _dramatic_. You're just a kid you _shouldn't_ be doing this-"

"Shut up Connie," Toni interrupted "I'll… I'll learn to fight,"

Connie stared at her in shock, mouth slightly open.

"Just like that? You'd usually put up a fight or something,"

Toni sighed and slapped her cheeks.

"Well I can't be useless forever now, can I? Teach me your fancy gymnastics and how to kick some ass. I may not be paying you, but I expect these lessons to be top-notch," Toni said poshly, before breaking out into laughter.

Connie stared at her for a few more moments, before smiling crookedly.

"Your wish is my command princess,"

* * *

Authors note: As of right now, _Vesper_ has **33** favorites, **34** followers, and **14** reviews. Thank you guys so much for taking the time to read this story! Connie's acting a bit weird, and Toni has finally seen Batman in person for the first time. When will they meet face to face? That won't be for a _long_ while. I'm still setting the foundation for a few things.

Questions I have for you Guys:

Why do you guys think Connie is acting so strange?

How do you think Toni's self-defense/ gymnastic lessons will go?

 _P.S. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!_

 _P.P.S. I updated_ _ **Lacuna**_ _not too long ago. Please look at it when you have the chance._


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice.

* * *

Toni ducked out of the way as Connie sent a punch flying towards her. She then got into a squatting position and backflipped away from the taller, much stronger female.

The redhead sent her an approving glance.

"Not bad Toni. We've only been doing this for two months, yet you're doing a lot better than I would expect," Connie stated calmly, before jabbing Toni in the ribs and rendering the girl motionless for a few moments "We still need to work on your speed of course,"

Toni groaned as she massaged the place she had just been hit. Leo snickered in the background, but Toni flipped him off easily enough.

"You have decent reflexes, but you haven't tried to get any hits on me," Connie stated, her nose scrunching up "You only dodge. I thought _you_ of all people would be more than happy to get a few hits in,"

Toni froze at that, before forcing a laugh.

"Well… I wouldn't want to hurt you too badly," Toni replied nervously "I'm not that awful,"

Connie looked at her unconvinced. Toni beamed up at the redhead before excusing herself to the bathroom.

The moment she got in, Toni locked the door and turned on the water faucet. She splashed her face with water continuously.

She had been living with the three adults for _months_ now, and they still didn't know about her abilities.

She… she wasn't quite sure _how_ to bring it up.

It obviously wasn't the most common conversation topic. She had no idea as to how they'd react to it.

Miss Reid had been nice to her, almost _too_ nice at first. The moment she found out about Toni's powers, however… the girl had actually been afraid for her life.

How would Connie react? Leo? Even _Enzo_?

Toni didn't know why she cared so much about what they thought of her. Their opinions didn't matter. No one's opinion but her _own_ mattered.

" _My darling girl, you know that's not true. You need friends that you can trust to have your back-"_

Toni smashed the bathroom mirror, her hands heating up spectacularly. Connie banged on the door worriedly.

"Toni! What happened? Are you alright-"

Toni looked at her hands and sighed. The glowing wouldn't subside, and now her hands were covered in red to top it off.

"I'm… I'm alright Connie," Toni replied flatly washing her bleeding hands in the sink "I fell forward, that's all,"

Connie was silent for a moment, before sighing collectively.

"I came to tell you that I'm going out. You did really well today," the redhead said gently before moving away from the door.

Toni didn't respond and kept washing her hands in the sink. She glanced at the shattered mirror and saw stormy blue eyes glaring at her with the utmost hatred.

She sighed once more.

There was something _desperately_ wrong with her.

* * *

She couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched.

After completing her work(dropping the cargo off at the designated spot), Toni liked going on walks.

She knew it sounded stupid, due to the fact they lived in the slums. But Toni just loved seeing the sights.

People smoking, drinking, getting into random fights. No matter how crazy it sounded, Toni just loved to watch it happen. It filled her with a strong sense of nostalgia, she realized as she made her way through the alleyways. It reminded her of who she was, and who she would always be.

A common street rat. A thief.

Most people would see those words as an insult, but Toni embraced it. She embraced it because it was who she was. Who she would always be deep down. Even if she got out of here.

 _(Who was she kidding… she'd never get out of here. It was Gotham-)_

Toni froze, her signature scowl taking over her face once more.

"I know you're back there," Toni called out, as she finally turned around. "Come out now, and _maybe_ I won't kick your ass to kingdom come-"

She heard a slight scuffle before a familiar face peeked out from the alleyway. Pedro walked out, with his hands up in a placating manner. Toni scowled even more if it was possible.

"You fucking _stalker_ -"

"Trust me," Pedro breaks through, looking very annoyed. "I'd rather not spend my Saturday following you around,"

"Then why are you?" Toni gritted out, her palms heating up. Pedro just sighed and gave Toni a look.

"I… Miss Reid asked for me to find you," Toni's blood ran cold at that. She hid her discomfort with a scoff.

"The hell does that old hag want-"

"She's dying Toni," Pedro said, his eyes dimming slightly. "She… doesn't have a lot of time left. She said she needed to talk to you,"

Toni folded her arms and turned around. She heard Pedro curse behind her.

"Are you… are you really that heartless? She took you in, and you're not even going to-"

Toni was next to Pedro in a minute. Her nostrils flaring.

"Look four eyes," Toni hissed. "You know nothing. That old hag is nothing but trouble and her-"

"She _what_?" Pedro questioned heatedly. "Maybe you had your differences, but all I know is that after you left she spent her nights crying. _Apologizing to Adelaide_ -"

Toni _punched_ him, letting some heat seep through. She watched as a resounding _crack_ filled the silence.

 _Connie would be proud._

"You crazy bitch," Pedro hissed, advancing towards Toni. "What-" Pedro froze at the sight he was met with.

Tears were streaming down Toni's face, as she struggled to hold back a sob. Pedro was speechless.

"Look," Pedro said hesitantly, rubbing his face. "I'm… sorry. I shouldn't have-"

"Where is she?" Toni questioned as she wiped at her eyes. Pedro blinked slowly.

"Wha-"

" _Where. Is she?"_ Toni grit out. "I haven't been to the apartment in fucking _months_ ,"

Pedro just stared at her for a moment, before shaking his head.

"I'll show you the way,"

* * *

Toni trailed after Pedro, narrowed eyes staring at her trainers resolutely.

 _('They're abominations, Antoinette-")_

"What did she tell you?" Toni questioned. "Did she… mention anything about me?"

Pedro gave her a look, the place where she had hit him already starting to bruise.

"She just said that you needed to know some things about yourself," Pedro mumbled. Toni looked at him guiltily.

"Look… I shouldn't have hit you," Toni admitted. "I just-"

"Look, Toni," Pedro interrupted. "I really don't care. It's not like we're friends or anything,"

Something cold washed over Toni at that statement.

 _(Pedro helping her out whenever she was about to fight someone she had no hope of beating-Pedro standing by her side as she sat next to a dead body-)_

A harsh laugh escaped Toni's lips.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Toni replied, forcing a smile onto her face. "This is the apartment right?"

Pedro nodded his head tentatively. Toni grinned at him as she went to open the door.

 _("It's not like we're friends-")_

She knew they weren't friends. The only reason they even communicated was that of circumstance.

Her hand tightened on the doorknob.

 _She knew and yet-_

She pushed the door open.

* * *

The apartment was messy. Miss Reid had always been anal about cleaning, so it surprised Toni a bit.

 _(She must really be sick-)_

Strangely enough, Toni found that she felt no sadness when thinking of Miss Reid's imminent death.

 _(They're abominations, Antoinette-")_

"Antoinette?" A voice questioned. "Is that you?"

Toni felt herself freeze, and took a deep breath.

"Hello Miss Reid," Toni said coldly. "It's been a while hasn't it?"

The elderly woman let out a heavy cough and nodded weakly.

"It has. You've… you've grown so much," The woman said, smiling slightly. "You're looking more like Adelaide-"

"Please don't mention her," Toni whispered. "What… what did you want from me?"

Miss Reid continued to stare at her for a moment, before sighing heavily.

"You're a freak Antoinette," The woman said bluntly. "But I guess it runs in the family,"

Toni kept her silence and clenched her fists.

"My sister was the same way-"

"Why did you want to speak with me, Miss Reid?" Toni questioned through gritted teeth

"I wanted family around me when I pass," The lady admitted. "Even with your abnormality, you're the only one left,"

"I'm not your family-"

"I was your father's aunt," Miss Reid informed. "Therefore you're my family. You even have the same ability as my late sister,"

Toni stared at the woman in front of her with narrowed eyes. Cold, hard, _fury_ overtook her.

"You knew about my abilities," Toni hissed. "You knew and yet you made me feel as if I wasn't _human_ -"

"I suspected it," Miss Reid admitted. "Lily had the ability as well. Adelaide always was very secretive when it came to you. She had a pretty face, but not very bright-"

"Say another word about my mother, and I'll kill you myself," Toni stated calmly. "Nobody would suspect anything. _Nobody would_ _ **care**_ -"

"You're right," Miss Reid admitted. "I don't exactly have a lot of friends. But… I didn't call you here to antagonize you, Antoinette. I called you here to explain myself,"

Toni closed her eyes and breathed in through her nose.

'Why now?" Toni questioned. "Do you really think I'll forgive you just because you want to be at peace with yourself-"

"I know you will," Miss Reid interrupted. "You're a kind girl, no matter how tough you may act,"

Toni looked down at her shoes.

"My sister Lily, your grandmother, had the ability to burn things," The woman informed. "We tried to fix her. Thinking that the ability she had was a demon taking over her. But... nothing worked,"

Toni felt her legs start to tremble.

"We were already looked down upon for being African American, so my mother didn't want Lily to have any more burdens. Even with her… powers, Lily was always the favorite. She was prettier, more charismatic, I _hated_ her,"

She could hear the faucet in the kitchen leaking. She tried to focus on something, _anything_ -

"I told her that she would burn in Hell, just like her ability allowed her to do others. She never _actually_ burned anyone of course. No, Lily was much too kind for that-"

"Get to the point," Toni stated, drumming her nails against her thigh. Miss Reid sighed.

"Youth today is so impatient," She mumbled. "To put it bluntly, I terrorized her. Made her feel like trash,"

"How could you?" Toni whispered. "You're supposed-"

"I was supposed to protect her," Miss Reid admitted. "My precious little sister. But… I think I was afraid of her deep down. Fear breeds hatred, and I just… I wanted to feel better about myself,"

Miss Reid raised her head.

"I did know about your abilities Antoinette. I knew and yet… I saw Lily in you. Seeing you stirred up old feelings and I just-" Miss Reid took a shuddering breath. "Life was hard on Lily due to her powers, and not _just_ because of me. I thought that maybe I could suppress your powers, but do it in a kinder way. That's why I talked so badly about metahumans. I thought that maybe I'd scare you-"

Toni raised her hands and felt heat flow to her palms. They started to glow slightly.

"But… I guess it didn't work," Miss Reid whispered as she stared at Toni's palms.

"Thank you, Miss Reid," Toni stated. "I was so scared of you before. I always thought that-" Toni breathed in and out "I'm not gonna hide who I am anymore. Even though you're frankly an _awful_ person, you did help me,"

Toni stood up abruptly and turned around.

"I hope you make it into the _Heaven_ you talked so dearly about-"

"Toni," Miss Reid wheezed. "Please don't leave. I-"

"You're scared, Miss Reid?" Toni questioned lowly. "Good, now you know what it feels like,"

"Adelaide would have-"

"What did I say about mentioning my mother?" Toni questioned, as she spun around. The sight she was met with made her freeze.

Miss Reid was coughing out blood.

 _(Mama had coughed out blood-)_

"I… I don't want to die alone," Miss Reid admitted. "I raised your father-"

"A father who _abandoned_ me-"

"And I gave you a roof over your head. Please stay with me a while longer," The elderly woman pleaded, as she wheezed violently.

 _("You're a good girl Antoinette. I know you'll always do what's right-")_

Toni moved forward and took the elderly woman's hand. Miss Reid- _Carol_ \- smiled weakly at her.

"Thank you," She said, as she closed her eyes peacefully. Toni just nodded her head.

She stood next to the elder woman for what seemed like hours, and finally dropped her hand when she saw that her breathing had finally ceased.

She walked out of the apartment without another word.

* * *

"Where were you?"

Toni sighed, as she removed her shoes. Connie gave her a reprimanding look.

"Toni you can't just stay out like that-"

"Connie," Toni interrupted, a slight smile coming over her face. "There's something I need to tell you, tell _all of you_ ,"

Connie blinked and nodded her head. She walked forward and pressed the back of her palm to Toni's forehead.

"Are you sick?" Connie questioned. Toni continued to smile, and just shook her head.

"I haven't felt this good in a long while Red," Toni admitted. "I feel free,"

 _(She wasn't afraid anymore-)_

"The Princess finally decides to honor us with her presence," Leo teased, as he scratched his stomach. Toni stuck her nose up in the air.

"I'm named for a queen actually-"

"A queen that was beheaded and betrayed by her people," Enzo drawled, ruffling Toni's hair as he passed by. "Now what exactly did you have to tell us?"

( _Now or never-)_

Toni breathed in deeply and felt heat seep into her palms.

Her palms glowed momentarily, it almost felt as if she was floating. Dark eyes stared down at her in shock as she raised an eyebrow at them. The corners of her lips twitched upwards.

Toni grinned sheepishly.

"Surprise?"

* * *

 _Fun Fact: Toni is African/French/Filipino. Half French from her mother's side, and African/Filipino from her father's side._

Author's Note: Here's _Vesper_ chapter 5! I want to take some time to thank all the people that favorited, followed, and reviewed the last chapter. I greatly appreciate it!

Questions I have for you Guys:

What did you think of Miss Reid's final moments?

Any questions you guys have for me?

 _P.S. I enjoy reading reviews, so please don't forget to leave one!_

 _P.P.S. I'd like to thank_ _ **UnlockedPotential**_ _for letting me bounce ideas off of them!_

 _P.P.P.S I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!_


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